Join us for the return of our most beloved holiday tradition, Sing with Maria: SOUND OF MUSIC. This family-friendly, holiday extravaganza screening will include a pre-show hosted by a talented emcee, costume parade and contest (audience vote!) for both the adults who love to dress up and the kids who participate. All children who dress up win a candy prize.
THREE SHOWS ONLY!
Saturday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 pm
Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 pm & 6:30 pm
$20 per ticket. Tickets on sale soon!
Admission includes prop bag, and sound of music collectable button and sticker. Please no outside props allowed.
A 20 minute official intermission will take place approximately 3/4 of the way through the film that includes complimentary tea and “biscuits” (shortbread cookies) for all audience members.
This fun tradition is not to be missed, and SLFS is proud to once again bring this show to our community.
DISCLAIMER:
By purchasing a ticket for or participating in any Sing With Maria event planned and controlled by Salt Lake Film Society, you agree to the following:
Salt Lake Film Society Sing With Maria events are provided with no warranty either express or implied. The Organizers, including but not limited to the Staff, Board, Advisory, Volunteers, Cast, and Sponsors, of Salt Lake Film Society Sing With Maria events assume no liability for any loss, theft, damage, trauma, triggering complaints or injury to property or persons, including death, whether arising in contract, negligence, equity, or otherwise.
You assume all risks when participating in Salt Lake Film Society Sing With Maria events. All participants must use care and good judgment and must obey all rules and regulations and code of conduct of Salt Lake Film Society. You will comply with all requests made by employees or volunteers or contracted staff of Salt Lake Film Society and its representatives. You must obey all laws of the State of Utah. Salt Lake Film Society reserves the right to eject any participant who does not comply with the terms of this section. Ejected participants will not be entitled to a refund or any further recourse.
You will defend, indemnify and hold harmless Salt Lake Film Society and its organizers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, affiliates for any and all legal actions arising out of participation in Salt Lake Film Society Sing With Maria events. You further agree to pay all legal fees incurred by Salt Lake Film Society that arise due to this agreement.
You give Salt Lake Film Society authorization to use and post any photographs, videotapes, recordings or any other record of our events, before during or after the event for promotional use, at any area of our event venues, reporting to the media and to publish on our website or blog. You will not be entitled to any compensation for Salt Lake Film Society’s use of your name or image.
Refunds for any reason will be at the discretion of Salt Lake Film Society.
Salt Lake Film Society reserves the right to exclude anyone from becoming a Salt Lake Film Society participant should they choose not to accept this Agreement.
As Allhallows Eve fast approaches, SLFS and it’s staff are proud to embrace the festivities of spooky season, through horror classics we screen every weekend for Tower of Terror, and of course our upcoming Rocky Horror Picture Show. In our blog this week, we hear from Patrick Charles, Theater Manager at Broadway Centre Cinemas and mastermind behind numerous giveaways and decorations for Summer Showdown and Tower of Terror, as he takes a closer look at the diversity tropes associated with horror films.
As the world has slowly become more conscientious of antidiscrimination and diverse representation in the 21st century, the diversity of characters in film has become a welcome priority. However, in the horror genre, because of its intense and often socially taboo content, there are some discriminatory tropes and stereotypes of minority characters that continue to be unfairly associated with the genre.
The Scary Movie franchise, known for spoofing horror films and their tropes, has likely reinforced the perception of these tropes and their frequency
Two of the most common of these tropes include the role of BIPOC characters, and the role of women, and their treatment and depiction in horror films. For BIPOC characters, the trope is that their presence in a horror film is usually tokenistic, and they will likely be an early victim of the killer, if not the first victim. In the case of female characters, the assumption is that horror films are misogynistic, because women are often represented through sexual and violent objectification of their bodies. However, we rarely take the time to consider how common or accurate these tropes and assumptions really are.
In the genre of horror, the role and depiction of BIPOC and women characters has been more favorable than one is led to believe. This brief blog post will take a look at some of the misconceptions regarding these tropes, the reality of their representation in the current and past worlds of horror, and how many horror films have been ahead of the times in regards to representation and respect of diversity.
The BIPOC Character Dies First
“Brothers don’t last long in situations like this”
Joel (Duane Martin), Scream 2
Variations of this saying have permeated popular culture surrounding horror films for years. The black character dies first, we hear it time and time again, more recently echoed in horror spoofs such as Scary Movie (2000) and its subsequent sequels. This trope that has permeated both the horror world and transferred over to popular culture has become a long running joke; if a person of color is in any type of horror film, they will likely be killed off first. The perception is that horror films use these characters to further their diversity quotas and body counts.
Now while this trope has existed in some horror movies, the reality is that in many of the genre’s most well-known and acclaimed films, BIPOC characters have not only survived, but thrived. We see important BIPOC characters in numerous George Romero movies, whose films and presence are iconic for the genre. Dawn of the Dead (1978), arguably the most popular of Romero’s original “Dead Trilogy”, brought the world Ken Foree playing the character of Peter.
Ken Foree, who plays Peter in Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Foree gives an amazing performance and plays a character who triumphs in the world of horror. Peter makes smart choices, is level headed when others are not, and is one of the few characters who survives the whole film (a rarity for any horror film character). Duane Jones, who portrays Ben in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) is another smart and capable character who survives almost until the very end, and Tony Todd, who played Ben in Tom Savini’s 1990 remake, furthered the depth of the iconic character even more.
John Carpenter is another director who has cast BIPOC characters in his iconic films, characters who last much longer than the common tropes would have us believe. Keith David stars in Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), playing the character of Childs, and while David is not the main star, Childs is a nuanced and well-developed character, untrusting of every other character, yet ambiguously surviving to the very end.
BIPOC characters are obviously not stand-out characters in every horror film, but importantly, the trope of their early death is a bit of a misconception. In fact, one can argue that the most iconic films and directors in the cinematic world of horror have been at the forefront of BIPOC representation. Their casting and storylines for BIPOC characters, especially in a mid-to-late 20th century which had yet to prioritize respectful representation, were impressively ahead of the curve.
Objectification of Women Through Sex and Violence
Another consistent character trope that horror film is often associated with is the sexual and violent objectification of women. Unfortunately, aspects of this stereotype are still prevalent in the genre, whether it’s the ridiculous, skimpy outfits or nude scenes that frequent most of the Friday the 13th films, or the excessively gory and brutal killing of female characters in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series.
However, there is another trope, one that is arguably even more prevalent in the genre, that challenges this objectification. “Final Girls” are typically the sole female character that survives the entire movie before eventually besting or killing the main antagonist, and horror films from the ‘80’s are filled with them, including some genre juggernauts like Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, Friday the 13th, and so on. The “Final Girl” has been a staple of horror films for decades, and through the emphasis of female empowerment and the conquering of often-male killers, offers an important contrast against the misogynistic label often placed on horror films.
Jamie Lee Curtis, the original “Final Girl”, in Halloween (1978)
Jamie Lee Curtis, as the character of Laurie Strode in Carpenter’s Halloween (1978), is the original “Final Girl”. Laurie is a shy and reserved babysitter who ultimately puts up a valiant fight against Michael Myers, protecting the children she is watching, and Curtis went on to reprise the character several more times, most recently as 2018. While Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and Clark’s Black Christmas (1974) were popular preludes to the slasher era, Halloween is considered by many to be the first true slasher film, ushering in a golden era of slasher movies and “Final Girls” in the 1980’s.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) is another example of an iconic film with an iconic “Final Girl”. Heather Langenkamp plays the role of Nancy Thompson, who faces off against the nightmare-stalking maniac Freddy Kruger. Nancy does her research, makes a plan, and takes Freddy down, and although her survival is left rather ambiguous, she does return in Nightmare on Elm Street Part 3 (1987). While Nightmare came a little later in the ‘80’s than the vast majority of iconic slashers, it still embraced the power of the female protagonist that Halloween had laid the groundwork for.
From Sigourney Weaver in Ridley Scott’s Alien to Mia Goth in Ti West’s X, “Finals Girls” have been an inherent presence in any film over the last five decades that incorporates horror elements. While there are unfortunately plenty of examples of misogynistic attitudes toward women in some horror movies, “Final Girls” have continuously offered an important juxtaposition to those examples.
The “Final Girl” is a role that fights against forms of evil or otherworldly threats, a role that is seen as a protector, as well as a betterment to the world of horror movies. Ultimately, it is a role which has established an important trope that counteracts and may eventually prevail against the more misogynistic trends of the genre.
To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here. To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.
While some folks might not readily admit to it, many of us have cried while watching a movie. These could be tears of sadness for the looming passing of the family dog in Marley and Me, or of exultation during scenes of joyous reunion and relief at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life. For many people, (cinephiles and non-cinephiles alike), there is at least one movie scene at some point which has overwhelmed them with an acute wave of emotion.
For many, the iconic ending of It’s a Wonderful Life is a guaranteed tear-jerker
The stories that film tells and the immersive way it tells them have always had a capacity to foster our sympathetic and empathetic tendencies, help us grow emotionally, and connect more with others. Whether you watch a documentary about human suffering thousands of miles away or a narrative that reveals the less than evident truths about your own life, watching a film can be emotional, and that is a good thing. How does film do this and what exactly about the art of film makes us feel the emotions we do when we watch?
This powerful quality of film sits at the heart of why we love it here at SLFS, and why we are committed to providing access to independent film to our community. We are proud to show a wide variety of independent films that help our patrons not just think, but also feel. The more we can understand and discuss this emotive-inducing power of film, the better all of us in our community can be at engaging with the diverse and thought-provoking benefits of cinema.
Independent Film = Your Brain On Empathy
Emotions are a vital aspect of the storytelling ability that a movie has. Emotions are also vital characteristics of the larger human experience; they are a fundamental part of what makes us sentient, complex creatures. In the modern age of scientific research and medical technology, emotions can be more precisely defined and measured through brain scans of our neural networks and what we know about the different chemicals that our brains release to cause emotional states. And as it turns out, movies are more than capable of inducing and effecting these states.
Humans are naturally empathetic beings; when we see or hear something sad, we are likely to feel sad. When we watch a story on the big screen, we automatically generate some investment in the characters. The way we absorb their depicted plights and decisions often invests us in an emotional cinematic reality, even if we are not directly experiencing the situations in question.
There are countless studies that demonstrate a link between storytelling and empathy, but it also doesn’t take a scientific study to know that movies offer one of the more effective forms of storytelling in human history. In fact, film is so effective at inducing empathy and emotion in people, it is used by researchers as a method to actually induce emotions in subjects, in order to study the brain simultaneously as they feel them.
Different neural networks activate different types of empathy in research participants who watched an intense scene from Black Swan
For neuroscience researchers like Talma Hendler at Tel Aviv University in Israel, movies offer a useful tool to study how emotions fluctuate in real time and what’s going on in the brain when we feel certain ways. Hendler and her team have been investigating neural networks in the brain and their role in empathy, and have found evidence for two types of empathy. Mental empathy, when people step outside of themselves to think about what another person is thinking or experiencing, and embodied empathy, more of an in-the-moment internalization and adoption of an experience and its emotions.
It’s hard to say which type of empathy an audience member might be feeling during a specific scene, whether they are understanding the rationale and perspective of a character’s feelings, or more acutely feeling the character’s feelings themselves. But one thing is for sure; the empathetic storytelling that film is capable of can play with our emotions like few other forms of media can.
Playing With the Audiences Emotions
As much as there is to understand about the science of why film makes us feel emotion, what about the techniques behind filmmaking itself? How do filmmakers shape their narrative and use all the storytelling tools at their disposal to make us feel?
When filmmakers are crafting shots and dialogue, and considering how to tell the story of the scene, while they might not be contemplating the science of neural networks or the difference between mental and embodied empathy, their attention towards the emotions of their audience is quite purposeful.
“We’re always thinking about how to get into an emotional state, moment by moment, and how to bring as much of the audience along with us,” said Darren Aronofsky, acclaimed director of psychological dramas like Black Swan, Mother!, and The Wrestler in a Wired 2014 interview. It could be through stunning visual perspectives of proper cinematography, swelling crescendos of an orchestral soundtrack, or a well-written line acted and delivered to perfection; filmmakers craft their scenes and visual storylines with concentrated intent of making their audience feel.
Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence in Mother!, another psychological horror film from the mind of Darren Aronofsky
As much as the artistry of a film and its filmmaker plays a big role in this, there are also other psychological aspects of film that naturally contribute to the keen emotions that many moviegoers feel when they watch on the big screen. According to professor of psychology at Washington University, Jefferey Zachs, mimicry and music play vital roles in the emotions that film can make us feel.
“[Our brains] say that it’s a good idea to mimic the visual input that we’re seeing…if you watch somebody in the theater and there’s a smiling face filling the screen, most of the audience is going to pop a little bit of a smile…In film, a filmmaker has the opportunity to integrate those things very tightly. They can control exactly what’s shown of the face, and what else is present [on the screen].”
In regards to music in film, Zachs says the type and the timing also play a big role in inducing emotion. Sad moments in movies use slow music composed in a minor key to hammer home the sad things they depict. Minor key music can induce the same kind of sad feelings that we feel when we see people cry or watch bad things happen to people. “You put all those things together and it’s just taking the mechanisms that we encounter in real life and just really pushing all the buttons at once.” Zachs concluded.
Independent Films in Salt Lake City – SLFS
At Salt Lake Film Society, the emotional power of visual storytelling is at the heart of the impact we make in our community. Whether it’s anecdotal or based in scientific research, there is consistently reaffirmed evidence that a compelling visual narrative can alter our brain’s chemistry. Films can make us feel, in a way that is strangely close to how we might feel if we were actually living these emotional experiences ourselves.
This invaluable form of sharing an emotional connection with others reinforces the unique and underrepresented voices inherent in our independent film programming. This pairing helps cultivate an introspective and compassionate arts experience for the entire community, a process that SLFS has proudly been a part of for over 21 years. So come join us for an independent film at Salt Lake Film Society, and maybe you too can be a part of an emotional experience bigger than yourself.
To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here. To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.
Rocky Horror Picture Show returns to SLFS! We are bringing our live performance event to the Broadway Centre Cinemas with four unique opportunities to experience this cult classic. Starting 10/27, 10/28 and 10/31, we will be hosting different screenings so you can choose how you want to spend your evening celebrating this cult classic.
The Out Of The Shadows cast is back for all screenings with live performances that occur with the movie. There are different performances with two separate emcees and one with a shadow cast. We will also be providing a screening of the film that is the movie only if you’d rather.
Screenings with live performers will have the doors open and a live pre-show that starts 30 minutes prior to the movie. Prop bags are included in your ticket price and will be handed out at entry. No outside props will be accepted into the theater.
Mature Audiences Only. 18+.
The following production includes language and themes that may be triggering to certain individuals. This event includes graphic language, sexual content as permitted within Utah law, blood, assault, and uses language that some viewers may find offensive and/or dehumanizing. In addition the event is loud, cast members will be wandering the auditorium, and props will be tossed in the air, and audience members may move, stand, yell, and behave generally raucous. SLFS encourages viewers to consider their own personal mental health before purchasing a ticket or attending any Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show event.
The event is a live show and the SLFS disclaimer will apply. As live-shows are unpredictable, we encourage all ticket buyers to know the disclaimer below.
UPDATE: We will have a waitlist going. You’ll need to come in at least 1 hr prior to showtime and we’ll sell tickets if seats are available.
FULL LIVE CAST + GUEST EMCEE SUSAN STEFFEE 10/27 (SOLD OUT), 10/28 (SOLD OUT), 10/31 (SOLD OUT) at 10:30 pm ; $25/person includes prop bag
Due to the graphic nature of this show no one under 18 will be admitted
Photo ID will be required at time of entry at security entrance.
Admission includes Prop Kit
No bags, outside props, or cosplay weapons permitted
Not intended for all viewers, audience discretion advised.
Closed Caption devices available for live shows
Join us for our most raucous, wild, and very unruly screening of the motion picture film Rocky Horror Picture Show, accompanied by a live shadow-cast. This show includes a full-cast (all key characters) provided by Latter Day Transvestites/Out of the Shadows Theater Company as well as local, infamous emcee Susan Steffee. Susan has been emcee for Rocky Horror Picture Shows at the Tower Theater for over 40 years – and counting!
She’s time warped so much, you will hear lines never-heard-in-other-states or at other shows.
This irreverent show will include shadow-cast reenactments of scenes, costumes to feast the eyes upon, and Susan’s mad-libs throughout the entire show.
Rocky Horror emcees traditionally talk over the entire film with a microphone, so if you have interest in hearing or seeing the film in it’s pure form, without an emcee, look for the film-only screening times.
This show is adult in nature, includes language and themes that are not for all individuals, SLFS recommends individuals do their own research to determine if an event is appropriate for them. The SLFS Rocky Horror event disclaimer is below, please view before purchasing a ticket or attending this event.
More about the Shadow Cast:
The Latter Day Transvestites (LDT) have been feeding your Rocky addiction since 1995 (officially). From the Blue Mouse to the Tower Theatre, and possibly before, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been playing in the Salt Lake City area. The cast started officially in 1995 and dubbed “The Little Cast of Horrors”, LDT has been through personnel changes, personal disasters, and near prosecution by the local vice squad. In 1997 we changed the name to the Latter Day Transvestites to reflect our heritage and our personal fashion preferences.
Come join us as we take a step to the right into our version of reality.
The performance by the Latter Day Transvestites is brought to you by the Out of the Shadows Theater Group (OSTG). OSTG provides an alternative aspect to the performing arts and cinema. Catering to cult film followers and encouraging audience participation. OSTG is an ongoing presence in Salt Lake City through local media, live performances and community events. Our shadow casts are known for their improvisations and witty call backs while performing to well known and loved cult films.
LIVE CAST + GUEST EMCEE AMANDA DUSOE 10/27 (SOLD OUT), 10/28 (SOLD OUT), 10/31 (SOLD OUT) at 10:30 pm ; $25/person includes prop bag
Due to the graphic nature of this show no one under 18 will be admitted
Photo ID will be required at time of entry at security entrance.
Admission includes prop-kit
No bags, outside props, or cosplay weapons permitted
Not intended for all viewers, audience discretion advised
Closed Caption devices available for live shows
Join us for a gender swapped, informal and raucous screening of the motion picture film Rocky Horror Picture Show, accompanied by a live shadow-cast. This show includes a full-cast (all key characters) playing roles of a differing gender than the on-screen characters, provided by Latter Day Transvestites/Out of the Shadows Theater Company as well as local, emcee Amanda Dusoe.
This irreverent show will include shadow-cast reenactments of scenes, costumes to feast the eyes upon, and Amanda’s mad-libs throughout the entire show.
Rocky Horror emcees traditionally talk over the entire film with a microphone, so if you have interest in hearing or seeing the film in it’s pure form, without an emcee, look for the film-only screening times. The price of admission includes Prop Kits to interact with the movie and cast. This show is adult in nature, includes language and themes that are not for all individuals, SLFS recommends individuals do their own research to determine if an event is appropriate for them. The SLFS Rocky Horror event disclaimer is below, please view before purchasing a ticket or attending this event.
More about the Shadow Cast:
The Latter Day Transvestites (LDT) have been feeding your Rocky addiction since 1995 (officially). From the Blue Mouse to the Tower Theatre, and possibly before, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been playing in the Salt Lake City area. The cast started officially in 1995 and dubbed “The Little Cast of Horrors”, LDT has been through personnel changes, personal disasters, and near prosecution by the local vice squad. In 1997 we changed the name to the Latter Day Transvestites to reflect our heritage and our personal fashion preferences. Come join us as we take a step to the right into our version of reality.
The performance by the Latter Day Transvestites is brought to you by the Out of the Shadows Theater Group (OSTG). OSTG provides an alternative aspect to the performing arts and cinema. Catering to cult film followers and encouraging audience participation. OSTG is an ongoing presence in Salt Lake City through local media, live performances and community events. Our shadow casts are known for their improvisations and witty call backs while performing to well known and loved cult films.
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW 10/27, 10/28, 10/31 at 10:30 pm ; $20/person + prop bag
ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE
No shadow cast or emcee
Due to the graphic nature of this show no one under 18 will be admitted Photo ID will be required at time of entry at security entrance. No bags, outside props, or cosplay weapons permitted. Not intended for all viewers, audience discretion advised.
All ticket proceeds benefit SLFS.
DISCLAIMER:
By purchasing a ticket for or participating in any Rocky Horror Picture Show event planned and controlled by Salt Lake Film Society, you agree to the following:
Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events are provided with no warranty either express or implied. The Organizers, including but not limited to the Staff, Board, Advisory, Volunteers, Cast, and Sponsors, of Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events assume no liability for any loss, theft, damage, trauma, triggering complaints or injury to property or persons, including death, whether arising in contract, negligence, equity, or otherwise.
You assume all risks when participating in Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events. All participants must use care and good judgment and must obey all rules and regulations and code of conduct of Salt Lake Film Society. You will comply with all requests made by employees or volunteers or contracted staff of Salt Lake Film Society and its representatives. You must obey all laws of the State of Utah. Salt Lake Film Society reserves the right to eject any participant who does not comply with the terms of this section. Ejected participants will not be entitled to a refund or any further recourse.
You will defend, indemnify and hold harmless Salt Lake Film Society and its organizers, directors, employees, consultants, agents, affiliates for any and all legal actions arising out of participation in Salt Lake Film Society Rocky Horror Picture Show events. You further agree to pay all legal fees incurred by Salt Lake Film Society that arise due to this agreement.
You give Salt Lake Film Society authorization to use and post any photographs, videotapes, recordings or any other record of our events, before during or after the event for promotional use, at any area of our event venues, reporting to the media and to publish on our website or blog. You will not be entitled to any compensation for Salt Lake Film Society’s use of your name or image.
Refunds for any reason will be at the discretion of Salt Lake Film Society.
Salt Lake Film Society reserves the right to exclude anyone from becoming a Salt Lake Film Society participant should they choose not to accept this Agreement.
Alyanna Padilla (she/her) is a Filipina-American woman and current Utah resident. She is the creator of To Ami with Luv, a newsletter about the K-pop supergroup BTS and the importance of combating racism in pop culture with diverse artists and storytellers. Alyanna has been a loyal SLFS patron ever since she moved here to attend school 10 years ago. Both the SLFS theaters and the proximity to the Sundance Film Festival helped foster her love for independent films, as well as an appreciation for the budding film industry here in Utah. You can read her newsletter here and find her on Instagram and Letterboxd @alyannapadilla.
“Representation Matters” feels like such an overused statement these days. Discussions about diverse films on press tours and in the media almost always include the question: “What does it mean for you to be an *insert member of underrepresented, marginalized community here* in the industry? It is such a loaded, cloying question and many artists feel pressured to represent every member of their community, simply by doing their job.
This is because for years in the mainstream media, it felt like there was room for only one specific story to be told about one marginalized community, and once we have the one, we’re all set. However, there is a reason it is still important to talk about it.
There is a reason why so many videos went viral last week when little Black girls reacted to seeing Halle Bailey for the first time as Ariel in Disney’s upcoming The Little Mermaid. There is a reason we celebrate so many “firsts” in prominent roles in pop culture and politics. It is because representation really does matter. If you do not see someone who looks like you out in the world, it is that much harder for you to to understand your own experiences and believe your stories are worthy of being told.
Opening night of the 2022 Māsima Pacific Islands Film Tour
That is why the emphasis SLFS places on exhibiting diverse films in Salt Lake City is so important; providing access to underrepresented stories and voices matters. In 2021, 71% of movies presented by SLFS feature directors, lead characters, and/or subjects that were female, BIPOC, and/or identify as LGBTQ+ (SLFS 2021 Annual Report). I watched several of these movies at SLFS theaters and I always appreciate the accessibility and affordability SLFS provides for all audiences.
Not only that, but Salt Lake Film Society also offers a more extensive approach to exhibiting the stories and voices of other cultures through their Cultural Film Tours. These film tours are a collaboration between SLFS and diverse members of our community to encourage engagement in the arts. The films chosen empower and accurately represent the stories and experiences of members of underserved communities in our city.
SLFS cultural tour programs have been going on for over a decade now, and each year new tours are added to include even more minority populations. Last year SLFS collaborated with Mexican, Jewish, Israeli, and Pacific Island communities to showcase the talent among these diverse filmmakers. During AANHPI month, SLFS hosted Māsima 2022: Pacific Island Film Tour. The program was curated and sponsored by Utah Pacific Islands Knowledge 2 Action Resource, Utah Pacific Islands Film Series, and Salt Lake Film Society.
The lineup of films highlighted filmmakers from the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Māsima is part of SLFS’ annual Cultural Film Tours to continue championing and celebrating the rich history and heritage of the AANHPI community here in Utah. I look forward to watching even more films that will be added to Māsima for AANHPI month in 2023!
For SLFS’ Letterboxd account, I contributed my own list of recommendations for AANHPI movies. I like, if not love, all of the movies on this list and would readily recommend any of them! I included a wide range of genres, so hopefully there is something on there to attract any type of moviegoer. I even added a few children’s movies on there as well, because it is even more important for young audience members to see all types of representation in the media.
As a child, I rarely saw anybody on screen that looked like me. Watching these movies would have been so impactful to me in my youth. Even as an adult I enjoyed myself because I know how vital it is that they now exist for young, diverse audiences today. My Letterboxd list makes it apparent that the number of AANHPI movies skyrocketed after the success of Crazy Rich Asians in 2018. Crazy Rich Asians was the first movie by a major Hollywood studio featuring a cast of majority Asian descent since The Joy Luck Club in 1993.
I remember feeling so many emotions by the end of the movie when I saw it in theaters. It was the first time I witnessed an all-Asian cast in every prominent role: both the romantic leads, the best friends, and all the family members. It was a joy to watch so many beautiful, talented Asian characters have rich, complex storylines all within the same movie.
I walked away from each of these recommended movies feeling proud of how far we’ve come as a society in accepting these movies into mainstream culture. It is long overdue. The success of these movies prove that sometimes the most personal stories end up feeling the most universal. I know I am not alone in this and so many other moviegoers feel the same emotions that come with finally seeing your own experience represented on screen.
Hopefully this curated list will open your eyes to some truly exceptional movies made by and featuring people that may not look like you. The power of cinema is that it has the ability to challenge your biases and help you examine your own unique experiences and emotions. My favorite moviegoing experiences are when I walk out of the theater feeling changed. The importance of diverse films is that they tell stories told by perspectives different from your own, which hopefully stick with you long after the credits roll.”
If you’d like to contribute to the discussion of independent film in SLC, like Alyanna Padilla, then you can get details by contacting Jesse Sindelar at jessesindelar@saltlakefilmsociety.org.
UPDATE: This survey is now closed. We will contact winners via email in the next week.
It’s that time of year… We need your help! We want you to tell us what you think you need and want from your movie-going experience, and how we might improve.
Help us out by filling out this Arthouse Survey by 10/23. Click on the link, fill it out, and you’ll be added to a drawing for $50 certificate and two $25 certificates:
At SLFS, we have always been proud of exhibiting thought-provoking films to our Salt Lake City community. And as members of this community and local film fans ourselves, the staff of SLFS have always cherished the opportunity to join in on the audience viewing experience. We asked Max Kunz, Theater Manager at Broadway Centre Cinemas, to share his experience watching Dune at the Broadway during our reopening in 2021.
The SLFS Dune Experience at Broadway Centre Cinemas
“As a staff member at Salt Lake Film Society, one of the things I like most about it is the commitment to serving the film loving community in Utah in unexpected ways. At the Broadway, we have six screens that supply a wide selection of arthouse and blockbuster cinema. Each screen is equipped with high-quality digital projection and Dolby theater surround sound systems, providing a unique high-quality entertainment experience you’d expect from the larger commercial branded theaters.
“I can appreciate even more how seeing a film like Dune in a real theater like the Broadway Centre Cinemas makes the experience exceptional.”
Max Kunz
A theater screening of Dune at Broadway Centre Cinemas
To connect our audience with the large supply of new films released, we have all of our theaters on a constantly shifting show schedule. This means that if a film has completed its standard theatrical run, we have the option to return that feature for an additional run, provided it is cleared by the studio. This flexibility in our booking allows SLFS to customize our film exhibitions for the needs of its community when a film gains some attendance traction after its initial run, or earns accolades from a film institution. An example of this custom exhibition presented itself to me this year through Dune.
I had unfortunately missed the initial theater run for Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and didn’t think I’d get another chance to see it in the theater setting, which was how I had heard it was meant to be enjoyed. Luckily, the Broadway brought back the film after it was nominated for several Academy Awards and I was able to catch it!
Dune is the story of the noble family Atreides who is given stewardship of the planet Dune by their Emperor, but Dune is a harsh planet covered in desert and a special drug called spice. The story of the film follows young Paul Atreides who is wrapped up in the war, chaos, prescience, and death that the coveted spice from Dune brings to his family.
Kunz enjoying Dune in audiobook format
I was captivated by the stunning visuals and stellar performances in what was an all around very entertaining movie. In a film that deals with gigantic spaceships and an original soundtrack that shakes with them, the state of the art theatrical systems that are used to present films at Salt Lake Film Society created an extremely overpowering experience. I appreciated what an entirely different experience it was, compared to watching it at home on a laptop screen like I had been planning on doing prior to the re-screening (especially after such a long shutdown due to COVID-19).
Seeing Dune in this way influenced me to research the world that Frank Herbert had created; looking at Google I saw how long the saga was and YouTube videos ensnared me into its lore. Fully nerding out, I bought the books on Audible and have since listened to the story of the first three books in the six book series. Now a bonafide Dune fan, and having some insight into the scale of the story and its contents, I can appreciate even more how seeing a film like Dune in a real theater like the Broadway Centre Cinemas makes the experience exceptional.”
To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here. To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.
"While we don't have a reopening date yet, our goal is preservation of the Tower Theatre and also the neighborhood of 9th and 9th as a unique hub for neighbors and friends who support safe spaces for diverse communities to gather."
Here’s the full statement from our own Tori Baker, CEO & Executive Director at SLFS:
“Welcome to the 9th & 9th neighborhood and the Historic Tower Theatre. We are currently under renovation.
Salt Lake Film Society, your local nonprofit cinema organization, has a mission to EXHIBIT, CREATE, & PRESERVE the big-screen experience. Our amazing nonprofit staff is working with construction partners to reveal a renovated lobby, ADA improvements, and other upgrades.
While we don’t have a reopening date yet, our goal is preservation of the Tower Theatre and also the neighborhood of 9th and 9th as a unique hub for neighbors and friends who support safe spaces for diverse communities to gather.
Throughout 2022 we have been working on exterior repairs, including interior planning, drawings and design. We’ve also been committed to fund development, assessments and meetings with our 9th and 9th neighbors on neighborhood preservation ideas.
We are happy to report that the auditorium repainting, plus ceiling sound panels and video/DVD archive and library assessment are well under way. SLFS has received a pristine collection of 15,000 DVDs to add to our archive and will begin working on the vision for the archive’s return to the newly remodeled lobby.
While we are renovating, see curated films at our Broadway Centre Cinemas location, including traditional Tower programming such as Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tower of Terror, and the most innovative cinematic presentations of independent film in our state.”
You can be part of the preservation of the Tower as a Salt Lake Film Society Red Carpet Club subscriber or donor.
In any non-profit organization, the Board of Directors plays a vital role in planning for funding, growth, and subsequently helping achieve their mission. At Salt Lake Film Society, our Board embodies the organization’s passion for film and art house cinema, and they are deeply committed to our mission of educating, advocating, and informing about –and through– cinema.
For local cinephile and vice-chair of the SLFS Board, Sarah E. S. Sinwell, this commitment to film and independent cinema started long before she ever heard of Salt Lake Film Society. “My family were always big film lovers growing up; I’ve been watching movies with them and going to art houses my whole life.” However, it wasn’t until college when she truly discovered her passion, not just for film, but for analyzing the art and the industry of independent cinema.
“I was studying to be a diplomat, taking political science classes and the like. In my sophomore year, I missed out on my first choice for a seminar, and the seminar I ended up taking was my first film class. When I graduated, I tried being a production assistant, made a few short films, but I soon realized that I would much rather analyze film than make it.”
Educating Through Art House Cinema Analysis
Sinwell became a member of the SLFS Board of Directors in 2015
When she moved to Utah in 2015, Sinwell continued her cinema journey by joining the Department of Film and Media Arts at the University of Utah as an assistant professor. Now an associate professor, she has applied her devotion to art houses and film analysis through teaching, and writing books and scholarly articles.
It didn’t take long for her art house cinema expertise and the mission of Salt Lake Film Society to align. “When I moved here, Kevin Hanson (SLFS board member and colleague at the U) immediately told me, ‘You need to meet Tori [Baker], and you need to be a part of the Film Society’, and I was invited to join [the Board] just a few months after that.”
Unsurprisingly, Sinwell’s initial interactions with Salt Lake Film Society were as a patron. “I’m a huge cinephile, I write about art houses, I write about independent films, I write about feminist and queer filmmaking, and the Broadway and the Tower are the places to go to see the best independent films in town, and the best independent films internationally, so I was pretty excited about even attending a film at the Tower/Broadway.”
For Sinwell, being a member of the SLFS Board was also an important part of her personal introduction to Utah, and the Salt Lake City film scene. “It was my first time living/moving here, so [joining the SLFS Board] was a big part of my learning about Utah, and about film culture in Utah.”
“People are seeking out the theater experience, because they’ve missed it. I was at the reopening of the Broadway in 2021, and my friends and I kept saying ‘This is the experience we have been missing’”
She was able to further supplement her studies, writings, and analysis of art houses and independent cinemas, because what better way to learn how an art house works than by being a part of one? “Being a part of the board has really taught me all about the in’s and outs of how non-profits and art houses work. I had no idea, for instance, how much a popcorn popper actually costs.” Sinwell said.
“I’ve really been involved, not just in the Film Society, but in thinking about the state of the art house at the moment when streaming is becoming more popular, and knowing this [type of] institution from the inside is invaluable to understanding the challenges that many art houses face” Sinwell continued.
Enjoying Independent Film At SLFS
The reciprocal relationship between Sinwell’s educational pursuits and her experience on the SLFS Board is an important part of her impact on the Salt Lake City film scene. But like any fan of independent film, nothing really compares to the personal enjoyment of watching an engaging and thought-provoking visual story on the big screen. For Sinwell, watching Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady On Fire at Broadway Centre Cinemas offered this type of unforgettable viewing experience.
“I saw Portrait of a Lady On Fire (2019) for the first time at the Broadway. Sciamma is one of my favorite directors, and I wanted to show it to everyone. I liked it so much, I saw it again, and the second viewing was the last film I saw in a theater for two years after COVID shutdown the Broadway” Sinwell remembered.
For those who have seen it, the lasting impression of Sciamma’s critically acclaimed film would be memorable even without the subsequent lockdown that occurred due to COVID-19. But it was the theater experience, and the insights and discussions with her friends afterwards that truly cemented Sinwell’s experience as noteworthy.
“One of these [POLOF] viewings was a sneak preview I went to with some friends and colleagues, and it was so inspiring. My colleague who studies music talked to me about some really interesting things the film does with music and sound, and I used aspects of femininity and ‘gaze’ from the film in my Queer Media class that I teach.”
Supporting the Community Role of Art House Cinema
As someone who has experienced the profound nature of the independent theater viewing experience first-hand, Sinwell is well aware of how important art houses are to their local communities, especially as COVID restrictions are lifted. “For many people, watching movies was their pandemic lockdown activity. Now, people are seeking out the theater experience, because they’ve missed it. I was at the reopening of the Broadway in 2021 when we screened Dune (2021), and my friends and I kept saying ‘This is the experience we have been missing’ you know, watching a film with others in a theater, and talking about it after.”
As an SLFS board member, Sinwell has both supported, and helped realize the larger aim of using film as a learning tool for social good. “SLFS shows unique films. We are purposefully putting these films on our screens, films that other people might not find otherwise. People are being introduced to other stories and cultures through these films.”
Indie Cinema Online is Sinwell’s newest book, and explores the challenges and growth of art house cinema
“Our films and cultural tours [like Czech Film Tour or FilmMéxico] let you imagine what it’s like to live in the Czech Republic, or Mexico, or live the female experience [in films like POLOF]. It’s an opportunity to explore what the future and history both hold” Sinwell added.
After stories of her introduction to loving film, writing and teaching film analysis, and how she became a vital member of the SLFS Board, there was one final piece of insight Sinwell had to offer on the age-old question: butter or no butter on your theater popcorn? “Definitely butter. But if it’s a matinee at the Broadway, I always get a slice of Pie Hole pizza and a Coke.”
Given our mission to educate, advocate, and inform about and through cinema , there are few people more suited to the task of vice-chair of the SLFS Board of Directors than Sarah E. S. Sinwell, and we are lucky to have her.
You can read some of her scholarly articles analyzing art house cinemas and how they have handled the COVID-19 pandemic here, and here. For information about her new book Indie Cinema Online, and other published work. click here.
To see a list of our upcoming films and events, click here. To join our Red Carpet Club, or to learn more about RCC levels, discounts, and benefits, click here.
When it comes to film as an art form and determining its importance to our community, Salt Lake Film Society might have some fairly strong opinions with regards to this discussion. The mission of our organization is focused on utilizing the power that film has to inspire and educate our community, and our team here at SLFS is highly motivated to help achieve that mission. We love film, but more importantly, we deeply believe in film’s importance, as well as our role in providing access to it in Salt Lake City.
For many of our staff here, the independent theaters we operate, the independent films that we show, and Salt Lake Film Society itself have a deeper purpose and relevance to us than just being our jobs. Many of us have lived in the Salt Lake City area for a long time, and we have had our own amazing experiences at Tower or Broadway, whether seeing a local documentary with a Q&A after, or rediscovering a classic during a Summer Late Night showing.
Our love and respect for the art form of film translates not only into the care we put into our jobs, but reminds us everyday why SLFS matters not just to Salt Lake City, but also to its staff who whole-heartedly strive to achieve its mission.
A Legacy of Independent Film in Salt Lake City
Many of our team have lived the Salt Lake Film Society experience, both as staff and as patrons or members. We’ve been to see movies at the Broadway Centre Cinemas or Tower Theatre as simply local cinephiles, and we have seen Salt Lake City grow and grow and grow over the years. But a critical part of why SLFS matters so much to our team comes from the legacy of our impact in the Salt Lake City community. We have been operating our independent theaters in the Salt Lake Valley for over two decades now, with core staff members who were there at the beginning still working at SLFS today.
Tower Theatre in 2016
With such entrenched roots in not only the local art house film scene, but the existence and mission of Salt Lake Film Society itself, our staff continues to take plenty of pleasure and pride in supporting a vibrant cultural and arts community in our city. We are truly fulfilled by what we do, and this fulfillment is exemplified through programs like our annual Cultural Film Tours (Masima: Pacific Island, Filméxico, Climate Change Film Tour, L’Chaim Jewish Film Tour).
Creating local partnerships, sharing impactful stories, and organizing panel discussions that take the discourse from the big-screen and into the realities and solutions of the world is the quintessential, cross-cultural impact we have, not just as an organization, but as people who live in and care about Salt Lake City too.
The Independent Theater Experience
While the lasting social impact that we hope to have in Salt Lake City is a driving force behind why SLFS matters to us, one of the more tangible manifestations of our mission is preserving the independent theater experience. We are purposeful in the programming of films we offer, and the experience of watching these films on the big-screen with other people remains the soul of our organization.
Broadway Centre Cinemas
Communal cinema is indescribably powerful. When people can be present with each other, existing in the same space, watching the same film, and sharing a common physical, mental, and emotional experience, it fosters an intimacy with your fellow person that is foundational to cultivating tolerance, compassion, and human decency, through the arts.
At Salt Lake Film Society, we are beyond passionate about our role in offering this theater experience to others, mainly because we’ve experienced its magic ourselves time and time again. Sharing tears, laughs, and morally-challenging revelations with total strangers is a transcendent and liberating human experience. Through our independent theaters, Tower and Broadway, we are proud to bring these experiences to our community, and create a welcoming space for people to watch, connect, and introspect.
Independent Theaters in Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Film Society
To many of our patrons, members, and community supporters, Salt Lake Film Society matters as much to them as it does to us. We couldn’t be prouder of how supportive and committed our community continues to be. Our non-profit organization has worked diligently to support the amplification of diversity, engage the hearts and minds of our community, and uphold the legacy of exhibiting quality independent films in Salt Lake City.
Through our work and our engagement, SLFS has become a vital contributor to actualizing the belief that we can have a positive impact in this world we live in. To its staff, Salt Lake Film Society matters a great deal to us; our work is more than just a paycheck, it’s a mission that we truly believe in, and we come to work everyday to make our community feel the same.
If you feel a similar importance and passion about Salt Lake Film Society, and its impact on your life and your community, please let us know. We would love to hear more about the stories and experiences of our patrons and members, and publish them on this blog for others to see. Email jessesindelar@saltlakefilmsociety.org for more details.
